It's a stunning end for Fabio Cannavaro and Italy as the defending World Cup champions lose to Slovakia in Johannesburg Thursday and finish with a 0-1-2 record in South Africa. (Breloer/AP)

JOHANNESBURG - Like an old Roman general whose army lost miserably in an important battle, Italy coach Marcello Lippi fell on his sword Thursday after his team crashed out of the World Cup.

He did it not once, not twice, but several times after the Azzuri were eliminated in the first round for the first time since 1974, bowing out with a 3-2 loss to Slovakia at Ellis Park.

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After the exit of the scandalized French team, both finalists from four years ago in Germany failed to make it to the knockout round - the first time that's happened in World Cup history.

Lippi, who coached Italy to the title last time around, was embarrassed as his team finished last in Group F with two points (0-1-2), behind even the rank outsiders from New Zealand (0-0-3, three points), which finished with a scoreless draw against group winner Paraguay Thursday.

"I take all responsibility for what happened," Lippi said. "If a team shows up with terror in their heads, hearts and legs, then it means the coach didn't prepare the match well tactically or psychologically.

"I didn't think we could win the World Cup but I thought we would do better. I failed to train the team well enough; they weren't ready for such an important match. For an hour and 15 minutes, for psychological reasons I think, nothing worked."

While it was a grand gesture for Lippi to take the blame, the players should also take a share of it. Slovakia also had something to do with the Italians' exit, as striker Robert Vittek put home a pair of well-struck goals in the 25th and 73rd minutes for a 2-0 advantage. Italy got close to equalizing, which would have put the defending champs through, but substitute Kamil Kopunek scored off a throw-in in the 89th minute, key insurance as Fabio Quagliarella tallied for Italy in stoppage time.

"It's a huge success," Vittek said. "We really moved the limits of Slovak football somewhere else."

JAPAN 3, DENMARK 1In Rustenburg, spectacular first-half goals on free kicks by Keisuke Honda and Yasuhito Endo helped lift Japan into the round of 16 with a second-place finish in Group E.

The Danes failed to advance from the group stage for the first time in four World Cup appearances.

NETHERLANDS 2, CAMEROON 1Klaas Jan Huntelaar lifted the Dutch to a perfect first round by putting home an Arjen Robben blast off the post in Cape Town. Samuel Eto'o scored on a penalty kick for Cameroon's only goal. -AP